Another Way to Die
by Dark OriginVTX
Summary: It is known as Helios, the most advanced technological weapon of the modern age. Created as a protector Helios sights turn towards England when the weapon falls into the hands of the mysterious Society S. Can Hermione Granger, Agent 009, save her country while dealing with the agonies of the past. H/Hr AU
1. Teaser Chapter

_**Another Way to Die**_

_**Book One of the Black Star Files**_

_Dark OriginVTX & Videl Exumai _

The quiet Caribbean bay was beauteous to behold, the ambiance weighted with a intense but not uncomfortable humidity. The air was fresh, rich with the perfume of the sea, moist, the land about the pair filled with the spray of a waterfall as it plummeted from the cliff face, blanketing the bay with the cadence of a thousand splashes.

Water chased away from a clear, vivid blue lagoon filled with the picturesque vision of peace and serenity. The gentle beauty of the bay was broken however with the chaos of combat.

The strident crash of gun fire sounded as the pair, man and woman grappled for control of the single Walther p99 hand gun. The weapon issued another discharge, the bullet flying wildly into the air around them. Harry Potter was the first to strike.

Relinquishing the hold his right hand had on Hermione's weapon Harry drew back his fist and punched his former best friend hard in the mouth. The blow reeled the double 0 agent as she staggered back her Walther now lost to the wilderness about them.

Hermione regained herself quickly, took up a ready, fighting stance as her mentor, the legendary agent 007 had instructed her in. Harry took up his own stance, his own weapon, a wizards wand also discarded amidst the chaos of combat. The pair met in an explosion of kicked up sand and fierce blows.

Hermione blocked a right cross from Harry, only to attack with her own hay-maker. The blow caught Harry square in the jaw, staggering him back the blow reeling his senses. Hermione lunged, her shoulder driven into Harry's abdomen. With an eruption of strength and technique Hermione hoisted her former best friend into the air, her body turning into a great arch before driving him down to the hot sand and surf in a vicious slam.

Harry scarcely had time to register the sheer burst of pain which surged through him at the impact of himself striking earth when Hermione began to rain a series of right hand blows to his face. One, two, three, four consecutive strikes, the forth knocking Harry senseless as Hermione rolled off the stunned man's frame and unholstered her secondary weapon.

The Beretta 9mm semi automatic pistol was drawn from its concealed location within her summer dress. The weapon was a new invention from Q branch encoded with a single DNA sensor crafted into the grip of the gun. The sensor was a fail safe, meaning that the weapon would not fire unless the sensor detected Hermione's DNA.

The deadly double 0 agent trained the gun on her fallen foe. The beaten man lay before her, coiled into a fettle ball of agony, blood seeping into the clear waters of the lagoon from mouth, nose and the deep, jagged gash opened in the side of Harry's head; which she had inflicted with the butt of her original weapon.

Hermione breathed, short, shallow breathes. Harry had been a worthy opponent but with his besting it was time to evoke her Licence to Kill and accept the fate M had laid before her.

'_Your duties are to find Helios, find who is using it track down its location and stop it. You have my complete faith Double O Nine. I trust you will not fail me nor your country_.' Hermione could still remember the intense woman's command, centred with the icy crack of authority. Now, after hunting, infiltration, danger and suppressed woes, now her mission was to come too an end. The only one who stood in her way was Harry.

Developing a collection of spit and blood in her mouth Hermione hacked a large gob of crimson phlegm into hot earth beside the churning waters of the waterfall. The action was to evoke a sense of fear, of intimidation in her fallen foe as she stood, her gun held casually in her right hand as she trained the Beretta to the correct point of execution.

Harry slowly climbed to his knees, hands held up in a gesture of surrender, his eyes lowered to Hermione's feet as he contemplated his death. Slowly Harry's gaze lifted, looked deep into Hermione intense brown eyes. A slight tremble entered the female's grip as, for the first time in many years, Hermione Granger Agent Double 009 hesitated in these final moments.

A snarl of anger escaped Hermione's throat as, with a strident gesture, Hermione gripped her weapon tight in both her hands, desperate to stifle the weakness which had suddenly entered her.

'_He's my best friend!_' Hermione's conscience protested the emotion flooding her with memories she had long believed buried. Moments at Hogwarts School, her recollections of the past she had sort to cleanse, of the emotions that had flooded her so many weeks past since they had been reunited. Now, however, Harry was her enemy. It was her duty to deliver, as protector of the Crown it was Hermione's responsibility to protect England from her enemies. Harry was an enemy, he must die.

This was a simple understanding, a weapon does not question the orders of their superiors, it was Hermione's sworn oath to carry out the requests of the Agency to the best of her abilities. The blood of many enemies of state stained her hands, her soul hardened to the act of murder. So then, why did this feel so hard?

Ice entered Hermione's gaze, her hands steeled, she gazed deep into Harry's eyes. She cocked the weapon.

"I'm sorry." Hermione breathed, her words wrought with a choked, agonising pain. Shadow downed the rays of the sun. The crash of gunfire shattered the ambiance of the island and deaths shade enveloped the land.


	2. Balance of Power

_**Balance of Power**_

In 2003 the Japanese Institute for Celestial Observation launched a single space-body into the uppers reaches of the Earth's atmosphere under the guise of a weather observational satellite. For many years both the American and European superpowers accepted this reasoning and explanation. Reports were pasted to those who requested such required information, this subject matter gathered, not from the believed space body, however, this information was pasted to the J-I-C-O through a third party organisation.

The satellite, codenamed Project Helios, was, in truth, an experimental Celestial weapon, designed by the Japanese military in conjunction with the British military service as a new means of balancing the scales of world power, which had tipped greatly in the direction of the far west, with America taking their place as the dominate superpower in global politics.

Both the British and Japanese had feared a possible over exertion of power from America. Themselves already expanding their reach of influence and control into the Middle East. Both the far east and Europe needed a deterrent, a means of regaining some hold of stability within America's increasing level of power.

The result was Project Helios.

Shou Tanaka walked the cool, air conditioned corridors of the Hinode Space Centre, the birthplace of Project Helios. The corridors were lit but a number of bright, LED light fixtures set into the celling of the steel and reinforced concrete passageways.

The centre itself was a meandering maze of steel, sealed doors leading to technological advanced chambers and single meeting room, while gorilla glass windows lined the outer walls depicting views of the picturesque grounds beyond.

The walk was so familiar, so ground into the gentleman's every day actions, that his legs carried Shou to his intended location without physical observation.

The steel corridor slowly ended in a large, steel reinforced door complete with the legend _Ion_ inscribed in ultra modern font across the heart of the door. Taking a red and black card key from his shirt pocket, itself inscribed with the J-I-C-O emblem, Shou scanned his access key in the key card reader. A red light flashed once before forming to a solid green glow, indicating that his key had been accepted. A single slot opened in the body of the door and Shou lowered his spectacles and lined his right eye up with the sensor. A laser scanned Shou's retina, confirming his identity as with another acknowledging light. The doors slowly parted, allowing the gentleman entrance.

The chamber beyond the door was vast, complete with a number of ultra modern consoles and filled with the sound of high technological chatter and the resonance of a thousand clicking keyboards.

A steward acknowledged Shou's entrance and presented the lead developer with a schematic report and a number of information charts.

"How bares Helios?" so questioned Shou speaking in his native tongue. The steward nodded in response.

"The satellite bares well sir, currently we see it's observation centring over the Atlantic ocean."

"Excellent, keep up the good work." Shou stepped from the command centre, leading to his office at the rear of the chamber. The office was simple, complete with main personal computer stationed upon a fine, oakwood desk. Shou sat stationed in his high back chair and began to scan through the papers presented to him.

A single woman entered, beauteous with a wealth of flowing dark hair, though possessing the traits and characteristics of Chinese origin presented Shou with his morning beverage.

"Thank you, Cho." Shou stated, taking the hot cup from his pretty assist. Cho smiled and bowed.

The impact of a tumultuous explosion shattered the ambiance of the quiet room. Shou erupted from his seat, spilling the hot drink down himself as he rushed towards the large view window which overlooked the main control room.

Terrorists, garbed in body armour and armed to the teeth with western weapons, rushed into the control room, firing into the innocent workers with a stream of bullets, the murder of so many muffled within the sound proof office.

"Dear God!" Shou exclaimed. In haste Shou rushed towards his own main console, prepared to erase any records of Project Helios and most importantly the access codes for the device.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Cho's voice sounded within the quiet chamber. Shou looked up, confused, fearful. The pretty woman pulled a thin wooden wand from beneath the nape of her dress. Shou gazed, unfazed, towards the woman as she brandished the piece of wood threateningly.

"What are you doing, Cho?" Shou snapped, looking afrontted towards the woman. Cho smiled darkly.

"We need those codes, sir. You would be wise to step away from your console." Shou snorted impatiently, turned back towards his main screen.

A single words sounded from Cho's lips.

"Crucio!" Shou Tanaka's world transformed into an existence of excruciating agony, as the witch before him cast upon him the most painful of the Unforgivable Curses.


End file.
